


Ultimatum

by Naveri



Series: Angst One Shots [2]
Category: Purple Hyacinth - Ephemerys & Sophism (Webcomic)
Genre: Choices, Do it in the name of love, Gen, Kieran did some bad things, Lauren is in shock like this entire fic, Leader, PTSD flashbacks, Savage Kieran, The Leader Is..., family affairs, minor deaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:20:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26868043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naveri/pseuds/Naveri
Summary: The final confrontation with the Leader was just ahead. What they sought out, was coming to an end. But not like this. This isn't what she wanted. Why did it always have to turn out so utterly, devastatingly wrong?
Series: Angst One Shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959052
Kudos: 43





	Ultimatum

**Author's Note:**

> Angst Prompt Challenge go brrrr.
> 
> This one is 'Revenge.'
> 
> Again this is improv, very little edits, have some fun and oh, pain.

What they sought out, was coming to an end. But not like this. No. This isn't what she wanted. Why did it always have to turn out so utterly, devastatingly wrong? Kieran was racing ahead of her, blade in hand, coattails dripped in blood from all those who had stood in their way. He didn’t let her kill a single person. He buried his heart and took the mantle. She followed relentlessly, trying to catch her breath. They had been running for so long. Blazing through the Phantom Scythe’s secret underground headquarters. Only a little further, and then it was all over. She’d bring justice for her parents, for Dylan, _for herself._ And now, for Kieran too. The hallway they blitzed down was long, and endless. Dark and caving in the further they went. A solid metal door met them at the end and Kieran wasted no time planting his foot up to pound it down. It took him a few tries before it flew off the hinges. The room opened up, ceilings scaling high above them. But underground, there was no light, just the sparkles of flames and artificial light to guide them. She rushed forward, Kieran’s arm shooting out and pushing her back. Rigid and firm, his arm stayed there, his body slowly moving to stand in front of her. His blade lay to rest in his other hand, now gripped tightly and trembling. When her vision adjusted, someone sat further down the way, in front of a large fountain. Canopies of greenery and flowers wrapped around a gazebo that hung overhead the fluttering blue water. It was a beautiful place, despite its nature. 

The figure came into view. He was strapped to the chair, arms tied back and feet held tightly. The flames of life along the walls reflected on the frames resting upon his face. _No...why is he here?_ He shouted out, almost in a worried protective tone. 

"Lauren! Be careful! _He_ is the Purple Hyacinth! Arrest him!" 

_You don’t think I know that! What’s going on here?_

Her hand shook along with her voice, reaching for the holster. "Uncle." A quiet audible squeak releasing from her throat. 

“What are you doing here? What happened?”

Persistence pushed her forward, but Kieran had leverage. Swiftly moving forward and still on guard. 

“Kieran, we need to get him out of here!”

“No.”

“Uncle, what happened? Why are you here? What did they do to you?”

Lauren was at his side, beginning to untie the rope wrapped tightly around his ankles. The man’s brown eyes stared down at her in interest but it felt distant, like he really wasn’t even there. Tristan’s frown became apparent and his eyes watered. 

“Oh, Ren...it was awful I--”

“It’s a trap.” Kieran’s tone dropped, prickles of fear climbing her spine. She still kneeled, looking up at her trusted partner. Kieran's icey gems matched her, his sword neatly placing itself against the throat of the only family she had left. An anticipated sorrowful glance riddled over Kieran’s expression. Lauren’s brows furrowed into pain, glancing at Kieran and then back to Tristan. 

_That can’t be….but nothing makes sense. Why is he here?_

She had spoken that last bit out loud, turning away from the assassin. Kieran, plain as day stated the obvious she didn’t want to believe. “You know why he’s here.”

Lauren released a choked cry in disbelief, hands falling away from the loosened ropes and stumbling back upon the floor. 

“This whole time?” 

A loud belting terrifying laugh escaped her Uncle. He flipped his head back, laughs echoing around the room in a haunting crescendo. Head flipped forward, a dead glare sharp and painful burrowing into her frail position upon the floor. He looked terrifying beneath the flames flicking around the room. 

“If only you had packed up and moved on with your _STUPID_ board. If you would have just _let go_ Lauren, none of this would have been an issue.” 

Detest dripped from his lips, Kieran holding place, the sword slightly cutting the skin. Tristan glared at the Purple Hyacinth next. 

“And _him_ . Running around the city with the scum of Ardhalis. You think you’re a hero? Some vigilante? You have messed _everything_ up now that your attempts at tearing down the PS have been set into motion. There’s no going back Lauren. You will have to face this alone if you kill me here.” 

She held fast on the gun, “What are you talking about? The PS needs to go! You need to g-” 

Kieran stepped forward, now facing Tristan. He glanced over his shoulder at her. 

“He’s biding his time. We’re merely being played.” His eyes met her Uncle’s again, and Kieran belted out. The scream jolting her. 

“Where’s the _real_ Leader!?” 

Tristan chuckled like a mad man, his glasses slipping down his crooked nose. “Poor boy, could never face the truth you already knew.” The sound of something hitting the concrete came after, followed by a popping explosion and the entire place enveloping into fog. _A smoke bomb, from where!?_

Smoke filled the room, Kieran rushing to Lauren and reaching for her arm only to find air. Kieran’s eyes squinted through the thick white smoke.

“Lauren, where are you!?” 

The click of a loaded gun had him straighten his spine, the barrel pressing hard into his temple. He saw out of his periphery the triumph of Tristan’s smile behind the weapon. The air dispersed. His eyes watched him for a moment and then shot forward. Further in front of him, was someone else. Taller. Masculine. Past the smoke his past and future faced him. Long tendrils of midnight locks falling over the mans face in an unruly manner. Longer than his by a few inches. Thick black brows furrowing and lips curled sadistically. Teeth shined. Grinning. _That mad grin._ Those clouded sapphire eyes of a rapid storm. A man long thought to be dead. And yet he stood here before him. _He couldn't be...the Leader!? No!_

“Father,” Kieran ripped a growl from his throat. Suddenly, feral and unhinged. Tristan kept him steady, the gun pushing into his skull, Lauren’s Uncle reaching out to hold onto his arm. When the smoke finally cleared away, it wasn’t just his father standing near the entrance they’d come from, but also Lauren. She struggled in the man's grip, his sword, like his own, pressed against her pretty little throat. That deep raspy voice echoed over them. 

“You know what I’m good at, son?” 

Lauren’s eyes widened, staring on at her partner and her uncle near the fountain. Kieran pulled forward, Tristan stopping him and tugging him roughly to their rooted spot.

“Stop!” 

His desperate cry was old and buried deep. Everything was on rewind. Kieran’s heart beat in his throat. It was going to happen all over again. He was going to _fail_. 

“Father, you don’t need her. You can have me.” 

The man laughed, tightly gripping onto Lauren, her pensive eyes buried in anger and defeat while she stared ahead at them both in desperation. Kieran never wanted this for her. He never wanted her to feel the way he did. He wanted Lauren’s eyes to be bright and joyful. But now, both of them were suffering at the hands of the only family they _thought_ they could trust. _That he once trusted._

“I never wanted you. Stupid boy. You’re just a reminder of the woman who was foolish enough to defy me. She should have obeyed my orders, like you have done all these years. You were so good at that. Listening. Obeying. Killing. Being a puppet. _For Me._ And just like I did for your Mother, like you did to your Sister, I will do for you. So, let me ask you again, what is it I’m good at, son?” 

Kieran furrowed in anger, eyes blurred, and breathing erratic. He stuttered on an answer. His father’s shout shook their cores. 

“Well!?” 

Kieran trembled against Tristan’s hand tightly secured around his arm, his sword fallen and lay bare upon the concrete. He begged. Loud enough for Lauren to look at him with pity. Pity he didn’t care for. He wasn’t meant to be pitied. 

“Please.” 

The laughing continued, both of these men lost to their power and greed. Tristan wasn’t going to save her. He never cared. He played them both. Just like his father played him. Kieran closed his eyes, drowning out the world for a split second and honed in on his breathing. He trapped out the laughter of both devil’s until he only heard the quiet whimper from Lauren. Something in him snapped. It breached his senses, crawled up into his soul and lit the flame that was snuffed out from the moment he was forced to use a blade. It was Love. Vicious. Powerful. Captivating. 

“No father, you know what _I’m_ good at?” 

Conniving laughs halted, utterly ceased. The man's cynical glare and dead weighted eyes gazed over him. “And what is that, stupid boy?” 

The question ran off the tongue and Kieran’s free hand gripped for his dagger in his back belt. His left foot wrapping around to kick Tristan in the knee. The man let him go with a surprise gasp. Kieran’s other hand reached for Tristan’s gun at the opportune moment. He flipped it with easy succession along his finger until it aimed directly at Lauren’s Uncle. Both hands at once, dagger held with his other digits. He pulled the trigger. He pitched the blade with all his strength. Dancing like the devil. Gun and Sword. 

_Doing the devil’s work._

**BANG.**

Lauren cried out, Tristan's body pummeling to the ground the moment the gun popped off and silence came over them. The whistling sound of the dagger barreled through the air straight toward her. Closer. Closer. It sliced at the top of her hair and sunk deep into flesh from behind her. Lauren stumbled away as Kieran’s father's body hit the concrete. Kieran steadily walked toward her, a demon within the darkness, coattails fluttering like the reaper’s cloak. He was cautious. He didn’t want to scare her off. 

_I’m sorry, Lauren. I had to._ _I’m sorry._

He stopped short of the dead body. Dull blue eyes gazing down at his work. Lauren’s hand reached out to him, fingers shaking and trembling. 

“Ki-Kieran…”

A coward he was. Unable to look at her. Bending over, his hand reached for the handle of the dagger dug deep into the man’s skull. A man who ruined his life. The same man who brought him into this hellish lifestyle and led him to this moment. How ironic. The cycle you brought forth, Father. His dirty boot planted itself on the body's shoulder, teeth bearing and a growl seeping from him. 

He ripped it out, a cry of anguish beckoning from his throat. Kieran’s shoulders were tense, breathing erratic. He flung the tainted blood from the dagger, gazing down at its mirrored surface and finding liquid sapphires gazing back.

“That’s right, Father. The very thing I’m good at, will be something you never could do” 

He dropped the dagger in disgust, eyes casting up to meet the woman he’d do anything for. Her hand reached out, unsure and unsteady. His bloodied fingers stretched forward, taking her palm in his. His whisper wasn’t meant for the dead, it was meant for the only person worth living for. 

“The very thing I never thought I could do. Saving the ones I love.” 


End file.
